During recent decades, it has been recognized that the growing abundance of commercial and passenger vehicles (e.g. which principally employ internal combustion engines) is resulting in a rapid depletion of earth's natural, unrenewable resources (e.g. fossil fuels). Moreover, the incredible volumes of exhaust gases which are emitted during the world's vehicle operations are causing detrimental changes to the earth's environment. As a result, many efforts have been undertaken in recent years to either improve the fuel efficiency of vehicles, provide vehicles which are less dependant (or not dependant at all) on unrenewable fuel resources (e.g. fossil fuels), and/or which output fewer or less damaging emissions.
For example, certain models of hybrid vehicles have recently become available on the consumer market. Such vehicles rely on a combination of battery power and a conventional internal combustion engine to power the vehicles. In one example, in a series hybrid vehicle, the internal combustion engine drives a generator to provide electricity to an electric motor (e.g. which is typically separately powered by batteries). In contrast, in a parallel-configured hybrid vehicle, the internal combustion engine can also power the drive train directly. Among related, known systems for improving the energy efficiency of such hybrid vehicles are systems for capturing the inertial energy of the vehicle during braking operations (i.e. so-called “regenerative braking systems”). Employing such a system in one example, a hybrid vehicle uses an electric motor to create torque to drive its wheels. The electric motor, in turn, is operated in reverse when the vehicle is braking (i.e. using the vehicle's inertial energy) to create electricity, i.e. the electric motor thus acting as an electric generator to recharge storage batteries. As may be expected, known hybrid vehicles (e.g. employing regenerative braking systems) are more efficient than a typical internal combustion powered vehicle.
Other efforts to improve the energy efficiency and detoxify the output emissions of vehicles involve the use of hydrogen powered fuel cells. The fuel cell installed in the vehicle produces electricity which, in turn, is used to power an electric motor for operating the vehicle. The principal benefit of using fuel cells, as is widely known, is that their output emissions consist entirely of water. Therefore, if hydrogen for powering the fuel cell is obtained from a non-fossil fuel type source, for example, significant efficiency and emissions advantages are achieved over conventional internal combustion vehicles.
Further, systems are known which permit the on-board generation of hydrogen gas for use as a fuel additive to an internal combustion engine. The use of hydrogen gas as a fuel additive is known to increase the efficiency of internal combustion engines and reduce pollutants, as a result of relatively more complete combustion of the fuel in the combustion chamber. Such systems employ, for example, an electrolysis cell to generate hydrogen gas and a conduit which introduces the hydrogen gas to the engine's air intake manifold. The electrolysis cell is typically powered by the vehicle's battery charging system. However, such systems have numerous drawbacks including, for example, that a load is placed on the vehicle's engine and battery charging system to power the electrolysis cell, and that hydrogen gas is only generated when the vehicle is operating and is used without being stored. Because hydrogen is only generated when the vehicle is operating, such systems are not suitable for use in situations where the vehicle is turned off or cannot or should not be allowed to idle, as is often the case with tractor trailers as well as passenger vehicles.
Despite the promising prospects of the various types of hybrid and hydrogen-powered vehicles slowly emerging in the marketplace (both as described herein or as otherwise known), widespread production and/or sales of such vehicles is not expected for many years. This is due in part to the reluctance of automobile manufacturers to expend significant portions of their resources on non-market tested products, the inability of the typical consumer to afford to replace their existing vehicle, as well as limitations with current technologies.
Nevertheless, the need for cleaner emission vehicles which exhibit increased energy efficiency persists. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide in the marketplace an apparatus or system which is adaptable to existing conventional vehicles, when desired, and which addresses one or more of the above-described needs at an affordable cost (e.g. a cost which is affordable to the “average American consumer” and/or which provides a cost benefit to industry such that the use of such an apparatus or system would be desirable). Moreover (or alternatively), it would be desirable to provide an apparatus or system which is installable and/or adaptable to a conventional vehicle with minimal modification and/or mechanical complexity (e.g. and thus with minimal technical skills being required). In addition to such adaptable configurations, it would be desirable if such a system was capable of being manufactured directly into a vehicle, when desired, and also if such a system were capable of being modified for a variety of mobile as well as stationary applications.
In view of the above-enumerated drawbacks with existing technologies and the need which persists for new and improved technologies, it is apparent that there exists a need in the art for apparatus and/or methods which solve and/or ameliorate at least one of the enumerated problems, for example the problems which persist with current hydrogen fuel generation systems in internal combustion vehicles. It is a purpose of this invention to fulfill these needs in the art as well as other needs disclosed and taught herein and which further will become more apparent to the skilled artisan once given the following disclosure.